Before you get started, you might want to take a look at Reviewing a Scientific Paper and the Publication Process, a collection of resources that talk about how to critically look at a paper and about the scientific publication process.

More focused on chemistry information, is Chapter 2, "Information Flow and Communication Patterns in Chemistry", of Maizell's How to Find Chemical Information (Ref QD 8.5 M34 1998). This is the most complete, and concise, treatment I have seen.

Once you understand the "flow of information," a quick survey of the literature will help you get a sense of what has been done before, what questions you need to answer & how you should go about conducting your research. This survey will give you a good foundation for when you begin your research, including terminology and methodology. It could also help you explore new topics as your thesis evolves. NOTE: don't forget informal communications, (invisible college):

Your faculty should have on hand, or know of, key primary papers that will help you get started. There are two other resources that can help you to begin your research:

1. Reviews

Review publications contain articles that review the research already done in a given area. A review article can give you critical retrospective of a particular topic, and provide you with an extensive bibliography.

To identify review articles, most databases allow you to search by article type (review) or limit your search to reviews. Reed Library also subscribes to annual reviews and review journals. You can browse the annual reviews by title, or you can search by topic.

2. Theses

Many student projects are based on previous projects, so using older theses may be a good way to begin your research. It is worth noting that it is best not to copy the style or format of previous theses unless suggested by your faculty.

If you don't already know of a thesis on your topic, you can check the Chemistry Thesis List or search the catalog.

NOTE: If you know the title or author of an earlier thesis, it will be easy to find in the catalog. If you don't have a particular thesis in mind, you can do an author search on the division name: Reed College (Portland, Or.) Division Of Mathematics And Natural Sciences. Chemistry. This will give you a list of theses that were turned in under that division name. You can also do a keyword search on Chemistry and immediately limit your search to Thesis.

If you are looking for theses on a particular topic, such as lasers, just do a keyword search on laser andlimit to thesis. Easy!

Maintained by: Linda Maddux, Science Librarian & Pat McDougal, Chemistry Professor